1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is related to an alignment device for sports such as golf, tennis and baseball, and more particularly, to a device for visually aligning oneself with a distant target on a golf course when addressing a golf ball.
2. Background of the Related Art
The prior art abounds with devices for improving one's golf swing and stance when addressing a golf ball. Some of these devices merely include an elongated staff or rod designed to be held in a particular manner by a golfer and used to attain proper hip rotation during a golf swing, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,244 to Trifaro et at. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,528 to McCardle, Jr. Other devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,583 to Oppenheimer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,000 to Cox include elaborate and cumbersome apparatus which are attached to a golfer in such a manner so as to position the golfer in a proper stance and control the actual path of the golfer's swing.
Less elaborate devices which are designed to be worn more comfortably by a golfer to practice a golf swing are also known. Examples of such devices include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,325 to Yuhara, U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,640 to Grander, U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,099 to Radakovich. These devices include various harness assemblies designed to be worn by a golfer to correct and/or control the golfer's swing.
Although many of the above-identified prior art patents disclose practice devices which are likely to aide in improving one's golf swing, none are configured to enhance the ability of a golfer to properly align their upper body and shoulders with a distant target on a golf course upon addressing a golf ball. Such a device would enable a golfer to direct a golf ball more accurately toward a desired target.